Barbadians need to seize opportunities and not wait on others to grow their society/economy.
This was stated by Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ronald Jones as he addressed the awards ceremony for the 2013-2014 National Innovation Competition at the Courtyard by Marriott, Hastings Christ Church, last Saturday.
Noting that we needed to go through a deep mind shift, Mr. Jones said citizens needed to be filled with ingenuity and courage to change.
???Barbados today is moaning,??? remarked the Minister as he explained that it was vexatious to hear callers to programmes discussing problems and challenges without proffering solutions.
Stressing that a nation that spent its time moaning and groaning was in danger of not developing, the Innovation Minister said: ???Its young people track the same trajectory with all the negativity that can possibly flow.???
Mr. Jones pointed out there was hope and he had seen this through the work of young people at BMEX; however, he queried whether these youngsters should be surrounded by persons who just moan and groan.
???No, let us give them the liberation that they so crave that in fact as an educated generation they can make it better for all of us,??? declared Mr. Jones acknowledging that the National Innovation Competition pulled talent to the fore and was one way such change could be brought about.
Persons with ideas were urged not only to wait on competition or on assistance from others but find ways facilitate the transformation.
Recalling that this had been done before, he explained: ???This country has done some remarkable things. [For] a sugar cane island we produced in this country more breeds of sugar cane that have been exported across the world than any other country??? We have cross-fertilized, cross-developed and exported hard and soft varieties???
He pointed out that Barbadians could overcome the fear and create hope to ride out the challenges here, in the region and the world.
???We can do it. We have done great things in the past. Even history is replete with the great things that we have done either in our ancestral framework or within our presence in the so-called new world,??? he concluded.
joy-ann.gill@barbados.gov.bb